Are you or anyone you know "tightening their belt" in these degraded economic times ? Is your income and/or salary keeping pace with gas, fuel, and general inflated prices ? I know it's not as critical for higher earners, but even if you're in that group, do the higher prices and cost of living bother you ?

I'm just curious, since it has affected me. I'd like to hear about your personal takes on the current economic mess and mismanagement and how it has affected you personally and those you know and care about.

I have organized my trips around town so that I’m not making two or three trips weekly by the same buildings I bought something earlier. Gas is still high here in Central Texas.

I already turn off lights in rooms we are not in.

All the usual things

Nothing unusual. We swapped to LED a long time ago. We're both still working, looking to retire in 4 years or so. Not being pinched too badly anywhere yet, but we live modestly. During the transition to "High Earner" We did not alter our lifestyle.

I was able to afford Mercedes and BMW long ago. We buy Subarus new, and (until recently, when I considered dumping one) drive them until the wheels fall off, we live in a snowy place, and their turbo engines are decent.

Still socking away 28% (Includes maxing 401k, with age kicker).

Our huge splurge is a delayed 25th anniversary trip to Bora Bora. It's happening in October.

We recently cut the Comcast cord and went from paying nearly $200 a month for Comcast internet and TV to paying $100 a month for fiber internet and YT TV

Have cut back on eating out as well and shopping more and more at Aldi instead of Giant (grocery chain around here)

Also buying more things in bulk like cereal etc at Costco rather than paying $5-6 an ever shrinking box at grocery store

Sure have. Buy generic when I can. Trips are combined. Sold off stuff that's excess.

Got rid of cable 6-7 years ago so couldn't cut that.

Honestly, I'm living my life more now than I was before gas prices and the economy started having issues. Who knows what will happen next, so go out and enjoy things.

I'm also spending more as Peter Schiff suggested buying tangible goods.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
We recently cut the Comcast cord and went from paying nearly $200 a month for Comcast internet and TV to paying $100 a month for fiber internet and YT TV

I get it. I work for Comcast. My employees are in Philly. The economy is interdependent. Enough people dump Comcast, Comcast has layoffs, that taxes unemployment, etc, and the thing is a snowball. Your "free tv" will end. Our biggest expense, after employees, is content. Free TV really isn't. And, further, some of those Comcast employees that you just terminated employment for, may have been your customer.

$100 is dinner for 2, in a mid market restaurant, with 2 beers

Inflation hits the whole economy. It is an obscenely hidden tax.

Natural gas prices have doubled since last winter and for the first time didn't decrease in the spring. Last fall I had a blower-door test performed and updated our insulation around windows, doors, and places the test highlighted. Our heating costs ended up around 50% higher than usual.

The city increased their monthly water service rates 50% in the last year.

We're trying to combine trips and eat out less. With higher grocery prices, we're watching prices more, making our own bread, and pressure canning things like chicken instead of buying frozen or canned versions.

I was sick of being told not to travel, not to go out to eat, not to have any fun - just hide at home and wait for more bad news. So after 2.5 years Covid trails off into a bad cold, now the ploy is to contain us with out of control inflation and 87k IRS agents.

I’ll be lucky to live another 20 years. I refuse to let Democrats and bureaucrats dictate what I can and can’t do. If it costs a little more money so what. I can’t take it with me.

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quote:

Originally posted by scratchy:

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
We recently cut the Comcast cord and went from paying nearly $200 a month for Comcast internet and TV to paying $100 a month for fiber internet and YT TV

I get it. I work for Comcast. My employees are in Philly. The economy is interdependent. Enough people dump Comcast, Comcast has layoffs, that taxes unemployment, etc, and the thing is a snowball. Your "free tv" will end. Our biggest expense, after employees, is content. Free TV really isn't. And, further, some of those Comcast employees that you just terminated employment for, may have been your customer.

$100 is dinner for 2, in a mid market restaurant, with 2 beers

Inflation hits the whole economy. It is an obscenely hidden tax.

LOL are you serious?

How about YOU tell YOUR company to stop making bills that are FULL of bullshit “fees” and playing games with their pricing structure.

Nope, I’m glad we FINALLY got some actual competition where I live in the form of fiber, Comcast has been the only game in town for years and they knew it.

But go ahead and blame me…

We have always lived pretty close to the bone, initially from need and now mostly from habit. We never eat out just to eat out, we don't take vacations.

About the only change we've made is cutting down on gas consumption. Combining trips, taking the bike (53mpg) whenever practical, leaving the truck (15-17mpg) at home unless it's absolutely necessary.

If (as I expect) things continue as they've been for the last several months, we'll have to start looking at conserving on groceries. So far we've been following our usual practice of just grabbing what we want off the shelves (assuming we can find it...) and not looking at the prices or worrying about the total. I have a feeling that's about to change.

Yes. Energy costs have made me cut back on all fronts.

To a certain degree, yes.
I haven't ate out in quite a while as I can cook most anything myself. I've had lower energy bills for a while because it's just me at the house so not much change there.

One thing I have started doing is driving less. It's basically to work and back home. Stopped going to a lot of places. Gas mileage is less in the truck than it was in the car. Kind of regret selling my car and buying a truck but this was before gas went nutso.

Groceries are a bit different and I'll buy Select grade cuts of meat now as opposed to Choice or higher. Still get Black Angus once in a while but mainly Select.

We have cut back on nights we eat out and the thermostat stays around 74. I take a lunch to work every single day as opposed to eating take out with co-workers. We’re not hurting but are exercising common sense spending.

While we talk about “tightening the belt”, no one in my immediate circle has done it yet. My business model allows for immediate pass through of price increases, as long as demand for my services remains high. Knocking on wood.

Having lived through several intentional economic meltdowns, I am increasing my personal workload, in order to grab the low hanging fruit while it still exist. The extra time I spend working, leads to more carry out meals. We just don’t have the energy or time to do a lot of cooking, with the limited hours at home.

We cut the cable back in 2020, due to content rather than cost. I find it hard to subsidize an industry that hates me and my beliefs with such blatant disregard for the future of our Country.I know, I know, it business not personal. Bull Shit!

I have to fly in a Gulfstream III instead of a Gulfstream V.

I have actually been doing "belt-tightening" for several years now, making a concerted effort to pay off debt in preparation for retirement. It's working. Since the latest gas price hike, I haven't been doing much pleasure driving, just what is necessary for work and errands.

Yes, I have cut back on eating out and driving any more than I have to.

I really haven't seen the cost of eating out increase all that much around here so if we feel like an occasional dinner out then we go. The cost of gas and heating our home (propane) has really hit us so we make less trips to town and keep the thermostat up in summer and down in the winter. Right now with temps in the upper 90's our thermostat is set to 78.

Just got an oil delivery yesterday. I had to sell my belt.

Out of approximately 180 customer, 2 have cancelled services last week. One lost her job in nursing (which is shocking because all hospitals are short staffed) and the other had a downturn in his business but he was one that i constantly had to chase for payment.

Not too bad to only lose 2 but for them to happen in the same week is concerning. Let's hope it isn't a trend.